Winter's Chill
by rusalka9
Summary: Part of the 'Deliberate' and 'Outside In The Cold' universe. A series of drabbles featuring Reid and the others in a world of pain, guilt, and denial. Including: Reid tells his mom he's leaving, Reid at his new school, and more.
1. One: Running Away

**Winter's Chill**

A Drabble Series by annatari.the.writer

**A/N: **These are posted a day early on my website. If you want to read them as soon as possible, you need to go by there. The link is in my profile.

All of these take place in the same universe as my one-shots Deliberate and Outside in the Cold. Also, they are all exactly one hundred words. It was a challenge to get them just right, but it was worth it.

* * *

One: Running Away

She entered his room just as he ended the call, questions on her face. "The dean of Fortwright Academy," Reid said.

She frowned, the slightest wrinkling of her brow. "The Boston school?"

"Yes." He wouldn't volunteer information.

"Why?"

"I'm leaving." His tone was calm, but his hands were shaking.

She tried to argue, but he had decided. He couldn't stay here, not everything around him made him reach for the pills the doctor had given him. _Have to get out, away from the memories, away from the __**people**_.

"You can't stop me, Mom," he said eventually.

It was the truth.


	2. Two: The New Guy

**Winter's Chill**

A Drabble Series by annatari.the.writer

**A/N: **These are posted a day early on my website. If you want to read them as soon as possible, you need to go by there. The link is in my profile.

All of these take place in the same universe as my one-shots Deliberate and Outside in the Cold. Also, they are all exactly one hundred words. It was a challenge to get them just right, but it was worth it.

Two: The New Guy

Whispers followed him around Fortwright like ghosts. _So handsome_, said some. Others: _Why'd he transfer? Only one semester left..._

It took days for someone to get the courage to ask him that question. His new icy reserve kept the others away, but not this persistent soul, a pretty girl who kept looking back at her friends for encouragement. _Before_ she would have been treated to a charming smile. Now, she got distant blue eyes. _Made her sigh anyway._

"Best thing to do under the circumstances," was his answer.

He wouldn't tell her the circumstances no matter how sweetly she asked.


	3. Three: Graduation, Minus One

**Winter's Chill**

A Drabble Series by annatari.the.writer

**A/N: **These are posted a day early on my website. If you want to read them as soon as possible, you need to go by there. The link is in my profile.

All of these take place in the same universe as my one-shots Deliberate and Outside in the Cold. Also, they are all exactly one hundred words. It was a challenge to get them just right, but it was worth it.

Three: Graduation, Minus One

Sarah hadn't said anything, but her pointed looks to the telephone conveyed her meaning. He had gotten the number from Clarissa Garwin, but the slip of paper remained on his desk, unused.

He tried to tell himself it was because he didn't have time. The chaos of graduation kept them busy. When that excuse didn't work, he turned to Reid's own silence.

_He doesn't want to talk to us, _Caleb told the mirror. _I shouldn't bother him_. This didn't work either, but hiding the phone number under his alarm clock did.

In the photos, Sarah's eyes were dark with disappointment.


	4. Four: Can't Deny The Past

**Winter's Chill**

A Drabble Series by annatari.the.writer

**A/N: **These are posted a day early on my website. If you want to read them as soon as possible, you need to go by there. The link is in my profile.

All of these take place in the same universe as my one-shots Deliberate and Outside in the Cold. Also, they are all exactly one hundred words. It was a challenge to get them just right, but it was worth it.

Four: Can't Deny The Past

The annual party was a pain, but Reid went anyway. It let him prove his ability to socialize, which his coworkers doubted. _Young guy like you, you should be out on the town, not in the office!_

This year, Reid even made an effort to impress the clients who attended. He avoided clients like the plague, but one night couldn't hurt.

Two glasses of champagne later, the impossible: "Garwin? Any relation to the Garwin family over in Ipswich?"

He froze. He had come to California to avoid this.

The client was waiting. "Distantly," Reid mumbled.

He left two minutes later.


	5. Five: Always The Last Place You Look

**Winter's Chill**

A Drabble Series by annatari.the.writer

**A/N: **These are posted a day early on my website. If you want to read them as soon as possible, you need to go by there. The link is in my profile.

All of these take place in the same universe as my one-shots Deliberate and Outside in the Cold. Also, they are all exactly one hundred words. It was a challenge to get them just right, but it was worth it.

Five: Always The Last Place You Look

It shouldn't have been so hard to find someone. They did it in movies all the time.

Reid must have changed a lot, Tyler thought, if an Internet search only found old swimming articles. The blond had loved the spotlight...but there was nothing. No mention of him for five years.

Tyler knew why Reid felt like he had to hide.

Finally, he gave in and called Clarissa. It was a wasted effort. She hadn't heard from her son since he left Boston.

_No, Reid won't be coming to the wedding_. The news made Sarah cry. Caleb didn't say anything.


End file.
